Owners of a number of second-generation iPads are now complaining that their devices are getting 'bricked' while updating the new iOS either over-the-air or via iTunes.

Owners of older iPads, notably iPad 2, have thronged Apple's Support Community forums, complaining that attempts to upgrade to iOS 9.3 are causing their iPad hardware to stutter during the activation stage. Once stuck, these iPads can't be activated either through Wi-Fi or through iTunes. A user also reported the same issue with his original iPad.

A way around for most users can be downloading iOS 9.3 on a Mac and then installing it on their iPads via USB, but it hasn't worked for a lot of them. Another way could be creating an iCloud backup and performing a full restore of their iPads.

A reason for the issue is probably that most features of iOS 9.3 are compatible with iPad Mini 2 and iPad Air and later versions. However, Apple hasn't issued a statement on this yet but we're sure that if the issue persists, it will have to sooner than later.

Issues with Apple's iOS platforms are not new. Last year, security firm FireEye published a report claiming that combinations of three lethal malware can effectively "demolish, break and hijack" iPhones and iPads. The firm said that two malware named '"Manifest Masque' and 'Extension Masque' can "kill, replace or tamper with apps" that can seriously compromise personal information of users like GPS location, call logs or contacts.